The many offenses of Puja Khedkar, the trainee IAS officer accused of several malpractices, have culminated in the Maharashtra government relieving her from the training program. In a letter addressed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the state, Khedkar on Tuesday was asked to return to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie.
The letter states that Khedkar’s District Training Program of the State Government of Maharashtra has been put on hold and that the administration has “immediately” recalled her for further necessary action.
“You are hereby relieved from the district training program of the state government of Maharashtra… You are instructed to join the academy at the earliest but not later than 23rd July 2024 under any circumstance,” the letter says.
Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar began making headlines after she allegedly installed a beacon in her private car. Following this, reports began pouring in exposing Khedkar’s wrongdoings.
Meanwhile, Khedkar, 34, has alleged a trial by the media after a controversy broke out over her appointment and conduct during her stint in Pune’s collectorate.
The Maharashtra cadre officer faces accusations of using fraudulent means to clear her civil services exam, including allegedly misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories, and misusing power and privileges during her posting in Pune.
The many troubles for Khedkar
Last week, the Centre set up a single-member committee “to verify the candidature” of Puja Khedkar and submit a report in two weeks. The government said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify the candidature claims and other details of the 2023 batch officer.
Not just Khedkar, but her parents have also been in the eye of the storm. A video of Khedkar’s mother allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute in Pune district surfaced last week, making the situation worse for the IAS officer.
Her parents, meanwhile, remain untraceable. A Pune Rural police team visited the bungalow of Manorama and her husband Dilip Khedkar in the Baner area of the city in the morning. But it was unable to enter the premises as there was no response, and doors were locked from inside, an official said.
Recently, it also came to light that the IAS officer used a fake name and date of birth in a Central Administrative Tribuna (CAT) application.
With inputs from agencies
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Maha govt puts trainee IAS Puja Khedkar’s probation on hold, sends her back to training academy
